1

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How do indoor plants survive without sunlight?

« on: 25/07/2013 21:11:13 »

I'm sorry to go a little of topic but this has reminded me of the 'ecosystem in a bottle' for some reason.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2267504/The-sealed-bottle-garden-thriving-40-years-fresh-air-water.html

The above article has the full story, but essentially it is a plant(s) that has survived in a sealed bottle for about 40 years surviving off of recycled air, water and nutrients - it even has its own rain cycle!

I thought it was really amazing but that's maybe just me.  The article is worth a read if you have the time anyway

2

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Re: Can a mosquito pick up malaria from an infected human?

« on: 22/07/2013 09:57:59 »

Yes, a mosquito (anopheles most of the time in sure 'bites' an infected human, becomes infected, bites another human and the cycle continues.  So if a mosquito did NOT become infected when it bit an infected human, malaria's life cycle would be broken.

Scientists have actually tried to do this as a way of stopping malaria.

Malaria life-cycle: http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/biology/

3

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Heat Death of the Universe for Dummies.

« on: 22/07/2013 09:39:17 »

I think I understand that, thanks 

4

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Heat Death of the Universe for Dummies.

« on: 22/07/2013 01:12:51 »

So the universe will eventually reach a thermodynamic equilibrium, but why does this mean that there will be no usable energy in the universe? 

5

Technology / Re: Are cellular telephone towers safe to install in schools?

« on: 22/07/2013 00:49:10 »

I agree with alancalverd - it's the mobiles that are more dangerous than the masts. Don't get me wrong I would be lost without mine but I don't understand the need for children to have them.

6

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Is the Universe facing a future heat death?

« on: 22/07/2013 00:42:38 »

So I have watched a couple of videos on 'the heat death of the universe' and it is all very formulaish so I got rather lost (I'm better with biology than maths  ).  The basic idea that I got was that in 10^100 years all life in the universe is utterly screwed because there will be no usable energy left in the universe... but why?
Can anyone explain this 'heat death' in plain English for me please?

Thanks.

7

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Re: Could cancer drugs target mitochondria?

« on: 21/07/2013 11:50:06 »

The big problem with mutating anything in the mitochondria I suppose would be that it would mutate ALL mitochondria, not just the ones on the cancerous cells which would obviously be bad news.   

8

Question of the Week / Re: QotW - 11.06.12 - Have earthquakes been more frequent recently?

« on: 11/01/2012 19:48:30 »

ONE WORD - JAPAN

And they say because of that earthquake japan is expected to get another huge one! Guess where i'm not goin anytime soon?

9

Just Chat! / Re: Are you smarter than the FBI ?

« on: 11/01/2012 19:39:53 »

no i'm not.  If you say you are they get chuck norris to KILL you! 

and they kill you if you look like this --->  O8)

I'M JOKING!

10

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Re: where can i get good info on sewage treatment?

« on: 11/01/2012 14:38:24 »

thank you

11

Just Chat! / are you a doctor of some sort?

« on: 10/01/2012 16:41:53 »

ok this may seem odd but if you are a doctor (of any sort) post to say so.

The reasson being i think there may be a lot.  Some of the more detailed answers sound like they may be from drs (or folk in uni at least).


No i'm not a doctor.

12

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Re: where can i get good info on sewage treatment?

« on: 10/01/2012 16:29:14 »

oh and btw if you tell me anything that you know i'll be sure to reference you if i use it []

Thanks again

13

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / where can i get good info on sewage treatment?

« on: 10/01/2012 16:27:39 »

hi there!

Ehm, well i'm trying to do a 5000 word report on sewage treatment and the public health benefit... i know.

Problem being, i can't seem to find any desent info on sewage treatment like:

• bacteria used
• old treatment methods
• technology involved

etc.

I was wondering if anybody would happen to know any good sorces of information on the subject? or if you know anything useful yourself that would be great too.

THANK YOU!

14

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Did bacteria arrive on Earth from space?

« on: 03/06/2011 23:27:42 »

when i read the title of this thread i thought "que x-files theme tune" but i belive life started as a primordial soup but whether that came from space... who knows

15

New Theories / is the big bang correct?

« on: 03/06/2011 23:20:26 »

all this talk of the big bang. Everybody just needs to face the fact that we were all created by the great arkvoodle, son of the sacred crotch. (if you know where i got that from shhh no one else knows).

16

That CAN'T be true! / How can someone eat glass?

« on: 03/06/2011 23:14:59 »

yeah youde probably see his/her face going purple and then... &@**!&!£§%!!!

17

That CAN'T be true! / How can someone eat glass?

« on: 02/06/2011 01:01:26 »

seriously, if you eat glass DONT tell your dentist...

18

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Do multiple orgasms cause headaches?

« on: 02/06/2011 00:55:39 »

haha

19

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / What's the difference between bacteria and viruses?

« on: 02/06/2011 00:48:38 »

bacteria are living things, viruses are not.
bacteria are prokaryotic cells and have quite a complex ultrastructure.  whereas viruses are just some RNA/DNA in a protein coat.

20

General Science / what is biomedical science?

« on: 02/06/2011 00:41:03 »

what does the area of biomedicine deal with and what does a biomedical scientist do? thanks